Aeroplane.



o. BRNIGARDI.

ABROPLANB.

APPLIGATION I'ILED NOV.16,1911.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

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fm'i Bambi/'172 Wii/wow 0. BRUNIGARDI. 'ABROPLANB 'APPLIOATION FILD NOV.16,1911.

15085368. Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

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0. BRUNIGARDI.

AEROPLANE.

APPLIGATION FILEI N0V.16,1s11.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

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ORESTE BRUNICARDI, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

AEROPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

i Application filed November 16, 1911. 'Serial No. 660,625.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Onnsrn BRUNIoAnm, a subject of the King of Italy, and a resident of the' city of Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful ,Improvements in Aeroplanes, of Which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to aeroplanes and particularly to emergency appliances thereto, the main object being to provide means for insuring a safe descent of the operator in case of accident to the motor or other essential parts. These attachments consist mainly-of additional air contacting extensions which may be spread by the operator, in connection with other features coperating therewith, as fully set forth in the accompanying drawings and specifieation, the novel features being particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

The drawings are largely diagrammatic and indicate a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a biplane aeroplane having my invention applied thereto;

the emergency parachute extensions at the front of the machine being shown as spread for emergency use; while those at the rear are shown as actually closed into the upper plane as the front ones are also intended to be when the machine is arranged for normal operation. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, showing both the front and rear parachute'extensions as folded-up into the main plane, and the latter in normal operating position. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the upper plane, indicating the parachute extensions as spread for a safe descent, and the suspended operatorls seat in lowered position; the lower' plane and the heavy mechanism attached t-hereto having been detached and dropped to nsure safe descent of the operator. Fig.

4 is a similar viewl of the detached portion Fig. 5 is a sectional eleof the machine. vation on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, the upper plane however being shown in normal flat position as in Fig. 2, while the ridgeformation assumedin the emergency posit-ion is indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4. Figs. 7, 8 'nd 9 are details of the folding parachute extension planes; Figs'. 7 -and 8 being sectional plan views on the line 7-8 of Fig. 9, and showing respectiyelythe closed and open positions 'of these 7 para'chute planes; and 'Fig 9 being a front elevation of the upper plane, showing the folded and locked position of the parachute extensions. Figs. 10 and 11- are details of the upper plane ridge Construction; Fig. 10 showing the normal and Fig. 11 the raised position of said ridge, the latter being assumedfor emer- 'gency use. Fig. 12 is a detail view showing the seat hanging means and the 'looking device for holding together the upper plane and the machinery frame.

My invention is applicable to machines having one or more supporting planes, but, as shown in the drawins, I have indicated its adaptation to a biplane. V

In the drawing 1. 1 indicate the two similar parts or wings forming the upper plane, which parts are hinged at- 3, 3 to the longitudinal ridge bar 4. This bar 4 has a limited vertical movement on posts 5 rising from a longitudinal bar 6 carried on the ver-- tical bars of the upper frame, and is secured thereto by looking means hereinafter described.

The lower frame 8 has side planes 9, 9 fixed thereto and arranged substantially parallel with the upper planes 1',' 15 and al rigid front extension 11 carries the elvating and depressing device 12, which is pivoted thereto and connected by wires 13 to conveniently located operating means not pellcr at'20, both of any well known coni struction and mounting; and a driverls seat 21 and steering Wheel 22 are also indicated. TheI machine so far described is operated in well known'vmanner which need not be dcscribed.

My improvements are mainly based upon V the well known fact that in these heavierthan-air machines, any acciderit. and especially any'trouble with the engine, involves. serious danger to the operator; and my object is to provide for insuring his safe descent in case of such accide'ntsf I will now describe my emergency paraof operation.)

yLchute' deviceshas shown, and their method' Elli 'pressed catohes 41 which The uppe' piano Wings l, have their front and rear edges formed with recesses 23 into each of which parachute extension planes 24 are folded-during the normal operation. of the aeroplane; Each of these con'prises, as indieated, a triangular section of fabric which is secured along one of its edges within one of the recesses 93, and has another of its edges seoured to a longitudinaliy swinging bar 25. This edge bar 25, together with any intermediate-supporting bars Qa which may be employed, is hinged at one of its ends in the same recess, so that the whole extension plane can be either folded into said recess, and locked therein by a suitable device 26, or can be swung outward therefrom to engage with an extension, or 30% of the ridge har 4. It will be understood that when` the four extension planos are thus spread, they will form, in connection with the upper-plane 'Wings 1, 1, an approximately circular parachute of suiiicient area to at least insure safety to the operator, as hereinafter fully described, under otherwise hopeless conditions.

The ridge bar extensions, 30 o'r 30% are hinged, shown, to the main ridge bar 4:,

and are supported by hracing bars 31, and.

diagonal stays to the Wings 1, 1. Each extension plane :24 is connected to a spring 236 whieh tends to swing it out of its recess as soon as the eatohes 26 provided to retain them, are jointly operated to release z and each is arranged to ride upon mal stay 85, which serves as a guide for a 38 provided on the edge bar 25, until the free outer endof the letter is* engaged by a spring Catch 39 at the endV of the ridge bar extension.

At the same time 'that the parachute extension planes are released and spread, as just descrihed, provision is made for reising the ridge bar 4- so as to give the proper parachute form when thus extended. This is efl'ected by releasing, through connecting wires 40, sprin normally hold said ridge-bar fi in the lowered position uponothe posts 5, indicated in Fig. l10; the released ridge-bar-Ll then rising upon the posts 5 to the position shown in Fig. 11, so as to give the concaved form indicated in Fig. 3. As the paraehute thus formed cannot be relied upon under all conditions, to insure a safe 'descent of the disabled machine, owing to the considerable weight of the operating mechanism which is oarried, my improvements. provide further for droppng the latter, and also for lowering the operatofls seat to more favorable position for the parachnte descent. For this purpose the vertical bars i' of the upper frame vare engaged tubular columns of the lower frame, orn'ia'ly loclced in such.

nem of, which letter L .ayhe

of the upper plana winw i Loeaoss withdrawn, in case of extreme danger, by means of operating wires 52. The Whole lower frame, with its attached mechanism, may thus be dropped by the operator, after the upper plana has been converted into a parachute as already descrbed. VVhen this is done it is desirable that the operatofs seat be automatically lowered so as to give greater stability to the parachuto in descending; and to this end the seat 21 is specially mounted, as :indicated particularly in Fig. 12. The seat frame is normally supported on the lower frame 8, Sa, by means of its top cross-bar 60, which is seated in opentop bearings 61 formed in the frame 8, and by its forward legs 62 Which rest upon the lower cross-bar 8b, of said frame. Additional fiexible connections 68, 64 are provided however, between the seat 21 and the upper frame; so that when the seat drops with the disconneeted frame with its atvtachments, the weiflht of the seat and of the operator upon it, will be transferred to the upper frame, asiindicated in Figs. 3 and 5, and a parachute descent may be safely made.

The advantages of my improvements will be readily nnderstood from the foregoing description; and it Will also be readily seen that the Construction specifically set forth may be readily modified withontdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

W hat I olaim is 1. ln an aeroplane having a Central longtudinal ridge bar and front and rear extensions thereof, recesses formed in the front and rear edges of said plane, diagonal stays from said ridge har extensions to said recesses forming guide ways, triangular parachute extensions of said plana secured in said reoesses and to spreader arms pivoted in the latter, springs to normally project said spreader arms along said diagonal-stay guide ways, means for normally maintaining said parachute extensions n retracted positions within said recesses, and means for projecting and maintaining the same in extended positions4 2. The combination with an aeroplane comprising a Central longitudinal ridge-bar having flexible front and rear eXtensions, wing planes hinged to said ridge-bar, and retractable front and rear parachute extensions of said wing planes', adapted to eng'age said ridge-bar extensions, of a supporting frame having g ude posts upon which said ridge-bar s vertically movable,

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and means for normallyv retaining the latter in lowered position upon said guide posts.

3. The combination with an aeroplane having retractahle parachute extensions, of a frame thersfor having a separable lower portion, means for securing or releasing said e portion, and an operatorls seat normany snpportedby said sep'arable Loanes 3 tions to the upper frame adapted to carry 10 said seat in lowere posit-ion when said separable lower portion of the frame is dropped.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signatux'e, in the presence of t-w'o witnesse.

ORESTE BRUNICARDI.

frame portion, but having supplemental connections to the upper frame.

ek. The combination with an aeroplane having 'et'actable par-achute extensions, of affa-me therefor having a .Peparabie lower portion, means for securing 01 'eleasing said separable portion, and nn operatoifis seat normally supported by said sepm'abie frame portion, but having supplemental conneci Witnesses:

D. M. SnsWAm', CALEB J. BIEBER. 

